Saudi Arabia to Reopen Embassy in Egypt

Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah orders to reopen the Saudi mission in Egypt, which was shut last week in the wake of angry protests.

By Elad Benari, Canada

First Publish: 5/5/2012, 1:40 AM

Saudi King Abdullah Bowls

Reuters

Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah ordered on Friday to reopen the Saudi mission in Egypt, after it was shut last week in the wake of angry protests.

The SPA state news agency, quoting an unnamed official, said that the king “instructed the kingdom's ambassador to Cairo to resume his post on Sunday, and ordered the reopening of the embassy and the consulates in Alexandria and Suez.”

Saudi Arabia recalled its ambassador on Saturday, after angry protests broke out outside its Cairo embassy following the arrest in the kingdom of an Egyptian human rights lawyer. Riyadh claimed he was in possession of drugs.

King Abdullah was quoted by AFP as having told the delegation the recent deterioration in ties was “painful to every honest Saudi and Egyptian citizen,” and the kingdom's decision to shut its embassy “was only to protect its staff.”

He welcomed the Egyptian delegation's visit, the report said, saying that with “such an honorable position I can only say that we shall not allow this passing crisis to last long.”

The monarch also urged “Egyptian and Saudi media to take an honorable stance, and to speak good or shut up,” alluding to fierce campaigns waged in both countries since the crisis flared up.

The delegation is headed by Egypt's parliament speaker Saad al-Katatni and the head of the consultative council Ahmed Fahmi.

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal told the delegation that Riyadh does not rule out that “foreign element,” could have plotted to cause the tension between the two Arab heavyweights, according to an SPA report on Thursday.

“We do not rule out that foreign elements not wanting the good for us, or Egypt, or the whole nation, could be behind disturbing the historic, solid and growing relations between our two countries and peoples,” he said.

(Arutz Sheva’s North American Desk is keeping you updated until the start of Shabbat in New York. The time posted automatically on all Arutz Sheva articles, however, is Israeli time.)